Using Challenge #3 lines:

Line 1:  I wanna know                                                    Line 4:  Don't keep me waiting
Line 2:  Come back and save me                                      Line 5:  You leave without a word - no message, no number
Line 3:  Now my head is pounding                                   Bonus Line:  They don't like the game you play

 Lucky

by Lace

Mac walked into the crowded bar, she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell of sweat and old beer.  Not exactly the place she wanted to spend her Saturday night in; she would rather be at home in bed with her husband.  Their youngest daughter finally slept through the nights, which made quality time with her hubby so much easier.  

Okay, time to focus on the task at hand.  Mac looked around, her eyes landing on a young woman by the bar.  She stepped in that direction and sat down on a barstool.

She saw the glass of liquor in front of the woman by her side.  “You called.”

The woman turned her head in Mac's direction.  “You shouldn't have come.”

“You called,” Mac pointed out again.

“I shouldn't have done that. Sorry.”  The woman looked away.  “God, I hate my life.”

Mac chuckled.  “What you are doing won’t make it any better.”  She touched the woman's hand lightly.  “Rose, what's going on?”

“Jack got shot.  It was all my fault; I refused to wait for back-up, and he was shot.  I wish I was the one to take that bullet, but he...  He got shot and I didn't and...”  Her voice broke.

Mac nodded.  “How much have you had to drink?”

“Nothing.”  Rose wiped away a tear.  “Yet.”

Mac pointed to the glass.  “Push it away and ask for coffee.”

Rose put her hand around the glass, but didn't move it.  A minute went by, two minutes, three minutes.  After ten minutes and thirty five seconds the glass was pushed away.  “Can I get a coffee?”

“That wasn't so hard. Was it?” Mac asked.

Rose shook her head.  “No.”  She ran a hand through her head in frustration.  “I don't know how you do it.”

Mac was confused.  “Do what?”

“Be super Marine, super wife, super mom.  I can't even manage to be super cop.  You make it seem so easy.”

“It's not easy.  Most days I feel like my kids come second to my job, not because I want it to be like that, but because when you're in the military the duty comes before anything.  Then I feel like a terrible wife, because if duty is first, the kids come second, making Harm third and last.  But at the end of the day, after winning an important case in court where you actually made a difference, you go home.  You look around the house and you see these smiling faces and you realise that it's all worth it.  Life is not easy Rose, not for anyone.”

Mac took a napkin and gave it to the other woman.  “Now, let's talk about what happened today.”

Rose dried her eyes and took a cleansing breath.  “We got a call about some noise coming from a house; a neighbour was worried and wanted us to take a look.  We could hear the loud voices when we got out of our car, we were about to knock on the door when the shooting started.  Jack wanted to wait for back-up, but I insisted that we went inside.  Jack checked the door and it wasn't locked, we went inside, and the next second Jack was on the floor bleeding like crazy, and I had shot the guy who was shooting at us.”

Mac handed Rose another napkin.  “How serious was the injury?”

“He was in surgery when I left the hospital, but he had lost a lot of blood.  The woman and the children didn't make it.”  Rose sniffled.

“What woman and children?” Mac wondered.

“They were shot before we got inside, there was nothing we could have done.”  Rose wiped away her tears angrily.  “What's the point of living this life when innocent people get slaughtered like that, what the hell is the point Mac?  I wanna know?”

Mac didn't know what to say; she had wondered the same thing so many times.  The world could be a terrible place, no doubt about it.

“Give me one good reason not to drink until I kill myself?  I just need one good reason Mac.  Just one.”  Rose sighed.  “Now my head is pounding.”

“Just take a deep breath and calm down.”  Mac gave Rose a look of impatience.  “Come on, don't keep me waiting.  Slow, deep breath.”

Rose did as she was told.

“Feel better?” Mac asked.

Rose nodded.

“Okay then.  You can't think about all the people you didn't save Rose; you have to focus on the times you have been able to prevent crimes and help people.  You are a good cop, and every time you put on that uniform you are helping someone.  The criminals, they don't like the game you play. But whatever you do, you don't let them win.  You can't help yourself or the people who need you if you fall off the wagon.”

Mac threw some money on the counter and stood.  “Let's go see what's going on with Jack.”

Rose reluctantly stood.  “What if he's dead?”

Mac hesitated.  “Let's hope he'll be fine; we'll deal with whatever happens if it happens. Okay?”

Rose nodded.  “Okay.  I just need Jack to come back and save me.  I can't do this without him; he's the one who keeps me in line.”

“You can't expect people to save you; you need to take responsibility for your own life.”  Mac walked with Rose towardsthe exit.  “You have been sober for three years now.  Maybe it's time you become a sponsor yourself.  It will make you realise how much better your life is when you're sober, and it will make you feel really good when you're able to help someone.”

“Like you help me?”  Rose touched Mac's arm lightly.  “I couldn't have done it without you.”

“I'm happy to help.”  Mac opened her car door.  “Now, let's go see how your partner is doing.”

Rose took a deep breath and got into the car.

Rabb House

The next morning

Mac walked in the door of her house and heard noises coming from the kitchen.  She walked in that direction.

“Mommy!”  Her three year old son Matthew jumped into her arms.

“Hi baby.”  Mac kissed his cheek before putting him down.

“You leave without a word - no message, no number,” Harm teased.

Mac chuckled.  “You've got my number.”  Mac walked over to her husband and gave him a big hug.  “And I called you from the hospital; what more do you want?”

Harm hugged her back.  “How did it go with Rose?”

“Her partner pulled through and will be as good as new.  Rose had a hard time and wanted to drink, but she's fine now.”  Mac released Harm.

“That's good.  I'm proud of you.”  Harm kissed her sweetly.

“Thank you.”  Mac looked around.  “Where's Adeline?”

“Asleep.”  Harm smiled.  “I have to say that I'm feeling very rested now that she's sleeping through the nights.”

Mac yawned.  “Since you've slept so well, you get to be super daddy while I take a nap.”

“Not much sleep at the hospital?”  He kissed her again.

“Not at all.”  Mac went to sit down by the kitchen table.  “Do I get breakfast?”

“Pancakes my dear.”  Harm fixed her a plate and put it down in front of her.

“This pancake has the shape of a heart.”  Mac was amused

“It's because I love you.”  Harm looked over at his son.  “It was Matthew's idea.”

“Daddy made me dinosaurs.”  Matthew walked over to his parents.  “I told Daddy that he had to make something special for you.”

Mac ruffled her son's hair.  “That was very thoughtful.”

Matthew smiled proudly.  “Daddy said that you had to get a heart because we love you.”

“Daddy can be really sweet sometimes.”  Mac gave Harm a loving look.

Harm kissed her.  “I try.”

“I'm really lucky.”  Mac kissed the top of her son's head.

“We're the lucky ones.”  Harm kissed her again.

The End.